New Ulm weekly review. [volume] (New Ulm, Minn.) 1878-1892, 1887-07-27
SNAKES in DAKOTA.
"A story Probably as True rs the Aver
are
correspondent of The Dtk

tory when they are sent to you.
hereby send you the true story of a
peculiar snake I saw three or four
weeks ago.
II was going from my place, a few
miles from here, to Il neighbor's to see.
about rn-cultivator he had bor-
roWed of me. | took short cut and
was on the side of bluff facing the
river the Missouri. / was going near
some small trees when heard a pc
culiar noise. First thought it was the
distant ringing Of church-bells, but I
soon remembered that that was im-
possible. I stopped and listened, and
soon saw that it seemed to proceed
from the little grove. / next thought
that it might be an Indian concealed
there playing on some musical instru-
ment, though it did not seem hardly
probable. | made up my mind to find
out, anyhow.
/ went over to the grove and walked
among the trees. Isoon came to some
low bushes and noticed that the noise
seemed to come from an open place
beyond them. | dropped on my knees
on small stump and looked through
At first | couldn't see anything.
looked a little longer and thought I
saw snakes head turned away from
me. My first thought was to go ahead
and kill the snake, but l was afraid of
d sturbing whatever it was that was
making the music. so waited. [ could
see nothing else, though l crept part
way around the open place. I rose up
and started to go on through, thinking
as could see nothing that the noise
must come from beyond. 1 was just
taking the first step when my eyes fell
on the snake again, and Thought 1
noticed something peculiar. l stopped
and looked closely. The snake was not
more than five yards away from me,
and It's head was now sideways to me-
then saw that the snake was what
produced the music. It's head was eIe-
waited a little above the top of the grass,
which was at that time some four or
five inches high. Its neck was bent
over so that its head was horizontal.
An inch or so in front of its mouth
appeared to be Il small twig, or at
least something with a thin, slender
point about five inches long on it,
pointed straight toward the snakes
mouth, which was opened little. On
this flat point, which looked some like
the end of q reed, the snake was blow
ing and producing the music I had
heard.
remained very still and watched it
closely. 1t played regular melody.
1t was not loud, but sweet. hardly
know what instrument it sounded like.
though it reminded me of a mouth
organ some, only it was better music
than ever heard on a mouth organ.
1t seemed to be produced much on the
same principle of y outh-organ, but
how the different tones were made was
a mystery. l kept watching and listen
ing for a long time, but my curiosity
got the best Of me at last. I tried to
get little nearer, when the snake
heard me and started to dart away. I
seized upon part OF a dry limb and
struck at it, intending to stun it aud
secure it alive if possible. struck too
hard, and soon saw that I had killed it.
Strengthened it out and found il to
be only about three feet long. Its body
was round and dark-colored. Its neck
was somewhat puffed out, probably by
the blowing. Its head was small and
mouth rather peculiar. l had looked
at it some time before noticed its tail.
When did so can truly say that I
was astonshed. The reed-like point it
had been playing on was the tip of its
own tail.
For nearly six inches th S tail was
fiat, like a reed and was composed OF
something which appeared to be thin
BONE 1t could be drawn in or thrust
out exactly like the sting of wasp,
and when | noticed this popularity /
knew that it varied the tone,
from one note TO another by lengthen-.
ing or shortening this reed. l do not
know whether it was making the music
wholly for its own amusement or to, at
tract its mate. [ would give S1O0if /
had captured it alive.
[ think everybody will admit that 5it
is very peculiar snake. No one around
here ever heard of any of the kind ex-
eept my hired man, who claims he
has. After went home and told my
story, be said that he once saw one,
near Grand river in Missouri. He said
that when he ran across it it was living
on large fat stone playing the tune
of the '.Arkansaw Traveller" while a
rattlesnake was coiled up near by. keep
ing time with the rattles on his tail I
don't believe the story, as have found
him very unreliable in other things.
Besides he claims that he used to- know
Jessie and Frank James / think he in
vented his story, simply to make fun Of
what said.
What ] have told above is the honest
truth and not exaggerated a bit. OF
course do not know whether there
are many others in the country or not.
/ have the reed off the tail Of this one
and anyone who doesn' believe it can
see it. Yours sincerely.
A Generous JUDGE.